It was a moment Dillon McNamara saw coming, a little slip off the tightrope.

The Staten Island Yankee reliever, a first-year pro via Moore Catholic HS and Adelphi University, came on in relief to start the fifth inning in the second game of last Sunday afternoon’s doubleheader at the Richmond County Bank Ballpark in St. George, a pair of seven-inning games necessitated by a rainout the day prior.

The Yanks were already down 5-0 when McNamara surrendered a leadoff double followed by a two-run homer to left-field.

“I kind of felt like that was coming,” said McNamara. “My last couple outings I left a couple balls up and I was getting lucky.

“I was talking to coach about it, trying to work on stuff. This was kind of a learning experience. You’re not going to get lucky every time. Leave a ball up, you’re gonna get hit.”

This is the adjustment to pro ball, the margin that will continue to get a little tighter each rung up the minor-league ladder. There are mistakes you can get away with at Division II Adelphi that are going to get hammered in the New York-Penn League.

McNamara is pitching against the best hitters from a higher college level, along with guys who have been in the minors since their teens.

“Maybe there’s three guys in the lineup that can hit,” said McNamara of the competition he faced at Adelphi. “D-I, maybe five guys in the lineup that can hit. Now (in the NY-Penn) you’ve got one through nine, best schools in the country, most talented players.”

One Sunday slip aside, McNamara has made that adjustment in impressive fashion. He’s posted a 1.89 earned run average in 12 appearances, striking out 17 in 19 innings.

McNamara made an impressive recovery after the home run last Sunday, retiring six of the next seven batters he faced in his two-inning stint, striking out three.

McNamara had another good outing Sunday in the completion of a suspended game with Aberdeen. In two innings, McNamara allowed two hits and no runs and fanned one.

Staten Island manager Justin Pope has liked what he’s seen from the 27th-round draft pick.

“Really good,” said Pope. “He’s got a good fastball, good slider. He’s just got to get out there and get more innings, get more repetitions, like all these guys do. Just trust their stuff. Get the ball down. Throw the fastball for strikes and the slider for strikes too.

“He’s got a real good slider, but if he’s not throwing it for strikes, from here on up, guys are going to be laying off it. I don’t care how good your fastball is, if that’s all you can throw for a strike, it’s gonna get hit.”

McNamara’s results this season have carried over solidly from a college season where he transitioned to the bullpen to great effect. In 23 appearances for Adelphi, McNamara pitched to a 0.28 earned run average. The 6-foot-5, 220-pounder struck out 43 batters in 32 innings, allowing just a single earned run.

“I feel good,” said McNamara. “I feel strong. This is the longest I’ve ever thrown in a year. Not even in summer ball. The last couple of years I really didn’t play much. I’m approaching like 50, 60 innings right now. I feel good. I’m throwing pretty well.”

He’s doing this with the rare experience of playing pro baseball in his hometown. Friends and family are regulars at Yankee home games. With McNamara pitching out of the bullpen, you can never be certain when he’ll get a turn on the mound.